Why Should I Take a Problem Gambling Assessment?

A problem gambling assessment helps you understand if your gambling habits are recreational fun or if they’re causing harm to your life and finances. Research shows that 2.7% of UK adults score in the problem gambling range, indicating individuals experiencing serious harms and likely loss of behavioural control.

This type of screening gives you clarity about whether gambling is affecting your mental health, relationships, work or money.

It takes just a couple of minutes to complete and provides immediate feedback about your level of risk. Taking a gambling assessment is often the first step towards regaining control and preventing further harm.

Call us on 0203 955 7700 to speak to a customer care advisor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What Is the PGSI Gambling Screening Test?

The PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index) is a questionnaire that measures gambling behaviours and the negative consequences they cause. It’s the most widely used tool by healthcare professionals, gambling services and researchers in the UK. The test asks about your experiences over the past year, including:

• Betting more money than you could afford to lose
• Needing to gamble with larger amounts to get the same excitement
• Going back another day to try to win back money you lost
• Borrowing money or selling things to get money to gamble
• Feeling that gambling has caused problems for your health or wellbeing
• People criticising your gambling or telling you it’s a problem
• Feeling guilty about how you gamble or what happens when you gamble
• Whether gambling has caused financial problems for you or your household
• Having difficulty controlling, cutting down or stopping your gambling

The nine questions use a scoring system that places you on a spectrum from no risk through to problem gambling. Your honest answers help identify if you need support.

How Do I Know If I Have a Gambling Problem?

You might gamble to escape problems or relieve bad feelings, struggle to cut down despite wanting to, or prioritise gambling over other responsibilities. 

Recreational gambling means you can stop easily, only spend what you can afford, and it doesn’t cause stress or conflict. Problem gambling means you chase losses, hide your gambling from others, feel anxious or guilty about it, or it’s causing debt and relationship problems.

A gambling assessment online can help you understand where you sit on the spectrum of risk. If you’re wondering whether you have a gambling problem, look at how gambling affects your life beyond just winning or losing money.

Can I Test My Gambling Habits Online?

Yes, you can use an online gambling assessment tool to evaluate your gambling behaviours and understand their impact. The PGSI test available online is the same screening questionnaire used by GPs, gambling support services and addiction specialists across the UK. These tools are confidential and provide instant results showing whether you’re at low, moderate or high risk from gambling.

They’re designed to help you recognise when gambling has moved from entertainment to something harmful. Nobody tracks your answers and you don’t need to provide any personal information to complete the test.

Is an Online Gambling Test as Good as Seeing a Specialist?

No, an online gambling test is a helpful first step but cannot replace professional support from gambling counsellors or addiction services.

These screening tools can accurately flag whether you’re experiencing significant gambling problems that need intervention. They help you understand whether to contact your GP, the National Gambling Helpline, or specialist gambling treatment services. If your results show moderate to high risk gambling, it’s crucial to seek professional help as gambling problems can escalate quickly and cause severe financial and mental health damage.

The online assessment helps you recognise the problem, while trained specialists provide the support and treatment you need to stop or control your gambling.

What Happens After I Complete the Gambling Assessment?

After you complete the gambling assessment, you’ll see immediate results explaining your level of gambling risk and what your score means. The feedback will categorise you as no risk, low risk, moderate risk or problem gambling.

You’ll receive practical guidance based on your results, which might include tips for safer gambling, information about self-exclusion schemes like GAMSTOP, or urgent recommendations to contact gambling support services. Your results are private and you can retake the assessment at different times to monitor changes in your gambling behaviours, especially if you’re trying to cut down or stop.